NYS Gaming Commission signs off on Finger Lakes Racing agreement

Governor Andrew Cuomo says the New York State Gaming Commission this week formally endorsed the plan announced late last month to preserve the racing season at Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack.

That season had been in doubt, partly due to the difficult in trying to predict how the opening of the del Lago Resort & Casino in Seneca County would affect revenues. All of the various parties including del Lago helped forge this agreement.

The President and General Manager at Finger Lakes, Chris Riegle, says it’s a good thing because a lot of people depend on the track for their livelihoods.

“Well, literally people who are licensed at the facility, there’s over 1,000 people who come here and earn either all or part of their living, that’s just on the racing side itself, and then you’ve got all this spill-out effect economically, with farms, feed stores…just across the street from us, huge economic impact, over 80 million (dollars) annually.”

And Riegle says this week’s snowstorm also has crews scrambling to make sure they can get the racetrack in shape in time for the April 22nd start date.

This agreement applies to the 2017 and 2018 racing seasons, with the option to extend to a third year.